Hello,
My friend has a 1st Gen GD Fit and whenever he starts it up from a cold start and starts driving, we can hear a sloshing sound of fluid in the front when we come to a stop. It sloshes around and it sounds like it's bubbling. Any ideas on what it could be? Thanks!

 

it's the gas tank. You can hear it because it is directly under the front seats.

 

Really? Thanks for that, I'll be sure to pass along the news. Hopefully now it can be an annoyance instead of a concern for him knowing it's just the gas and nothing major.

 

If your cooling system is low on fluid youl get a sloshing/gurgling noise from sort of under the dash... I think its bubbles moving through the heater core.

 

That's also what I've been reading as well. I'll ask him to get that checked out as well. He's not much a car guy so he probably would just take it into a shop and ask to check the cooling system?

 

MIne quit as soon as I added coolant to the radiator,,, like under a minute.. 1 jug of Honda or Zerex asian pre-mix antifreeze cheap investment.

 

I have the same noise. but i just has a local shop change out the coolant. Does this mean they didn't fill it up?

I'd check myself but the coolant tube where you are supposed to be able to see the coolant level is unreadable to me. Am i the only one who can't read that thing?

Thanks for your response.

 

Return to the shop, describe to them your issues, and have them recheck their work.


Open the radiator cap (observe all precautions) and make sure that is completely full to the top first, then use a strong flashlight to look at or in the reservoir.

 

Don't be too mad at your shop...I've found the need to 'top up' coolant over the next dozen drives, after doing any cooling system work.

I'm sure they would fill the coolant for you. Just monitor the level in the plastic reservoir. (A flashlight shined behind the plastic makes this an easy chore.)

 

We have had the same issue. Had the gas explanation given to us, but the sloshing coolant sounded more on target as the sound in question seems to come from the upper firewall area. Had coolant added when at the shop last time, but the sloshing still happens.

 

It's the gas. Not the coolant, thats why.

 

Does the gas line have something near the upper part of the firewall that might make this noise? I know the gas tank sloshing sound from under the seats has happened since we purchased the car new in 2008 - this is a different noise that just started about a year and a half ago.

 

It helps to have the front of the car about 1' higher than the back when you fill the radiator, I happen to have a driveway that makes that easy Makes bleeding the air out a breeze..

 

I saw the same problem for my 2008fit. I just add a little bit coolant from the cap, as some said "top off" it. The sound was gone immediately.

 

There is a Tech Service Bulletin (TSB) on this issue, # 08-096.
Basically there are parts of the cooling system behind the dash that are higher than the radiator cap, allowing air to get trapped. The TSB instructs the dealer to jack up the front of the car so the radiator is the highest point in the system and allow the trapped air to escape.

 

I'll try the jacking up trick. Mine has done that for well over 100,000 miles. It does not hurt anything.

 

did you ever figure out what your sloshing noise was ?

 

If it's coming from the dash when you start the car, it's definitely the coolant. It can take several top-ups between drives for all the air to finally purge out.